Candles
by iMissa
Summary: Naruto‘s alone on his birthday. Maybe Hinata can help him. [NaruHina]


**Disclaimer: The last time I checked, I didn't own Naruto. Still working on it though! Be afraid, people, be very, very afraid. **

A ten year-old child kicked up the leaves, head bowed and eyes downcast. It was currently October 10th, and he was all alone. Nobody cared about him, nobody noticed that today was his birthday. Then again, nobody ever really did. Naruto supposed that he should be used to it by now; after all, everybody in Konoha avoided him like he had some kind of disease. The blond sighed and slowly sunk down on a swing.

Why did people seem to hate him? Naruto frowned, trying to think if he had ever done anything to them. He wasn't bad, honest. He didn't kill anybody, and he was nice to the people. But the kids… they were always whispering behind his back, eyeing him warily. And the parents were even worse. They wouldn't even look at him, and they wouldn't allow their children to play with him. But what had he ever done to them?

He wished he had a friend or something… somebody who would know that today was his birthday, to wish him a happy day. Heck, he would give anything just to have someone smile at him! Naruto sighed and rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand and mentally scoffed at himself. Only babies cried. But still, it must be nice to have someone care that it was their birthday. To have parents that woke you up early to wish you a happy birthday, to give you presents and hugs and kisses… to have parents to wish you a happy day… to have a mother that held you and sang to you… to feel loved by someone.

Uzumaki Naruto bowed his head, lost in his thoughts and melancholy. He wished he had someone that like, somebody to care for him. He knew Iruka-sensei cared, and he was the closest thing he had to a father, but it wasn't the same thing. Iruka-sensei couldn't be there for every time Naruto fell, every time he cried, or every time he had a bad dream. When he scraped a knee, it was only himself that put a band-aid on it. Every time he cried, there wouldn't be anybody there to tell him that it was okay, and the same went for every time he had a nightmare.

"N-Naruto-kun?" A soft voice whispered, and Naruto looked up sharply. A purple-haired girl stood there, opal eyes wide with childish innocence. In her pale hands was… a cake? The blond immediately concluded that she was awfully pretty. "I-I'm sorry to b-be interrupting you i-if you want to be left alone." she fidgeted slightly and bit her lip. Naruto didn't mind, because after all, here was someone to talk to him, and they had done so willingly. Perhaps he had something that she wanted… maybe she needed help with a jutsu? Immediately he deflated; he was no good with jutsus'. Well then, that officially ruled out that theory. "But, uhm, today's your birthday r-right?"

Naruto froze. Had he really just heard what he thought he heard? Had she really just said what he thought she said? However, he knew he wasn't imagining things, because she had her little hands stuck out towards him, the platter of cake still in them, with her head down. He stared at her for a couple of minutes before he took the cake from the girl. "Who are you?" He inquired curiously. The girl looked up and blushed.

"H-Hyuuga Hinata." She replied, connecting her two pointer fingers in a gesture of nervousness.

"Okay, Hinata, how'd you know today was my birthday?" If possible, Hinata blushed brighter. She shook her head frantically, almost as if she didn't want to tell him why.

"N-never mind that. I hope you e-enjoy your cake Naruto-kun. Happy Birthday." She said softly and turned, but Naruto wasn't through with her. She was the first person to wish him a happy birthday, she had given him a cake, and it didn't look like she was afraid of him. So he did the first thing his mind told him to do… he grabbed her hand. Hinata glanced back, a shocked look on her face.

"Look, Hinata, I'm sorry if I scared you away. It's just that people don't like me, and you're the first person to be nice to me in a long time. Please don't go." His bright blue eyes implored the raven-haired female to do as he asked. "And I'll never be able to finish this cake on my own." Which was a downright lie, but he liked the feeling of having someone be close to him and not be afraid. Hinata blushed brightly.

"B-but we need something to eat it with." Naruto grinned brightly, showing his incisors.

"Oh, not to worry, I always keep a fork with me at all times." His smile widened, and Hinata could feel herself getting a headrush she was so happy. "It's my emergency fork for ramen, in case I don't have another one. It's clean!" He quickly assured her, then mumbled, more to himself but Hinata heard anyway, "…At least, I think so." She giggled quietly, then realized something and blushed darkly.

"But you don't have another fork!"

"Well then, we'll share." Naruto said as if it was the most obvious thing in the entire world.

If there was a God, he was surely blessing Hinata at this point.

"A-are you s-sure, Naruto-kun?" He nodded enthusiastically.

"Of course! Dattebayo!" A tiny smile appeared on her face, and Naruto regarded her carefully with those deep cerulean eyes.

"You know, Hinata-chan, you've got a pretty smile." He said offhandedly, and Hinata ducked her head, the blood rushing to her cheeks rather alarmingly. Naruto smiled and began to cut the cake with the fork. It was rather awkward, and there were more than a couple of moments where he had to use two of his hands to get it all the way through, but the golden-haired boy finally got it. He sliced off a tiny piece and, with the fork still in his hand, pointed it towards Hinata's face.

Oh God, he was going to feed her himself.

"It's okay, Naruto-kun, I can feed myself!" She protested, but Naruto shook his head.

"Just eat it, Hinata-chan." He implored, and blushing, Hinata opened her mouth. Naruto gently stuck the fork in there, and she closed her lips. He took out the fork and the person opposite him moved her jaw, tasting the cake.

Grinning, Naruto took a piece and ate it. "Mmm, this is good. Did you make this yourself?" He asked, looking at her. Hinata shook her head.

"No, my Father w-won't allow me." She said in her feathery voice. Naruto nodded, but couldn't really relate. After all, how could he when he didn't have any parents?

Eventually, they were full, and the two of them stood up. "I-I'm sorry, Naruto-kun, but my Father wants me home soon." Hinata said, and Naruto smiled, albeit sadly.

"Oh, that's okay, Hinata-chan. Thanks for the cake." Hinata gave him a tiny smile, and Naruto found himself smiling back. He turned around and started walking back to his apartment, carrying the cake.

"Naruto-kun?" Hinata called out, and the blond turned his head. Hinata's pale eyes stared at him, and then, she smiled. It was weak, true, but it was still there. That was the fourth time she had smiled at him, and he wasn't used to somebody smiling at him so much in one day. "Happy birthday." Naruto grinned, feeling something jerk in his stomach.

"Thank you, Hinata-chan. Hey! Do you go to the Academy?" Hinata shook her head. "Oh, that's too bad. I wish you could, cause then maybe, you know, we could hang out." Hinata smiled tentatively.

"That would be nice." She admitted. "M-maybe I'll see you there."

"Dattebayo, Hinata-chan! I'll see you soon, then?" And at his hopeful tone, Hinata nodded, and Naruto flashed his incisors. "Okay. Although I might have to fight to be your friend, you're really pretty." Normally pale, Hinata flushed, and Naruto smiled. "Bye, Hinata-chan."

"Bye, Naruto-kun." Hinata murmured, and she walked back to her house.

Naruto grinned and bent his arms behind his head, gazing up at the cloudless blue sky and whistling with happiness.

Happy birthday indeed.**

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A/N- I'm getting cavities from the fluff, hehe. Those rabid plot bunnies came out and attacked me while I was on, and I just had to write this. Oh, and you guys should be proud of me, I didn't mention SasuSaku in here! Yay for me! Anyway, I know it's no where NEAR Naruto's (and mine! I share my birthday with Naruto, haha, how cool is that?!) birthday, but like I said, those bunnies are very, VERY devious creatures. It's my second try at a NaruHina, so be nice and review?


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